


Chemistry

by FallingPetalsGlowingHeart



Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: F/M, Get me back to a night club asap, besties, but not drunken mistakes, i miss drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29360769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingPetalsGlowingHeart/pseuds/FallingPetalsGlowingHeart
Summary: What if they kissed, just once, for science
Relationships: Giovanni Pernice/Ranvir Singh
Comments: 31
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set in a covid free world at the strictly wrap party
> 
> They’re friends remember. But that doesn’t mean friends can’t make drunken mistakes. We’ve all kissed someone we shouldn’t have, right?

Ranvir made her way back from the bar, rum and coke in hand, and spotted Clara and Maisie dancing together.

She waved as she approached them, being met with whistles.

”damn girl you look so hot” Clara cheered. She was right. Ranvir was wearing that leopard print jumpsuit, with her hair and makeup from the final, looking as gorgeous as ever. Most importantly she had a new glow about her from her improved confidence.

She flipped her hair somewhat jokingly, but loving the compliment. Before Strictly she wasn’t one to enjoy compliments but since working on her confidence she’d started to own it.

“Says you!” She reached out to grab Clara’s hand and spun her under her arm before giving her a hug, followed by Maisie. “You were so amazing tonight!” She praised the redhead as they hugged tightly.   
the three of them danced together for a while before their partners appeared from the entrance - Aljaz hand in hand with Janette, and Gorka being joined by Gemma. Giovanni was with them too, looking smart in a crisp blue shirt.

They all hugged as they came together.

”wow you look amazing” Giovanni whispered into Ranvir’s ear as they embraced, her arm round his neck, the other hanging down holding her drink, while his arms wrapped tightly round her back, pulling her in close to be sure she’d hear him over the music. If he was being honest she’d taken his breath away. But he was used to appreciating beautiful women, it didn’t mean anything, right?

As they pulled apart her kissed her cheek, which was nothing out the usual for them. “Do you need a drink?” He asked, signalling to the bar. She replied by shaking her head and raising her cup to show she already had one, being met with a thumbs up from Gio. That was until he leant back to her, even closer this time, “not even an espresso martini?” He asked cheekily, catching her eye with a wink as he stepped back again. He checked with the rest of the group, taking Maisie’s request for a vodka lemonade, before heading to the bar.

Maybe it was the rum in her system but the feeling of his breath against her skin had made Ranvir’s heart flutter. They’d spent 8 weeks dancing together, getting extremely close at times (see the argentine tango) but he’d never had this effect on her before.   
Similarly she’d never had this effect on him. Why was he nervous? As he waited at the bar Giovanni couldn’t help turning back to check her out, how could he resist when she looked so amazing, until he was eventually snapped out of his trance by the bar tender asking for his order. Despite not really drinking, and probably (definitely) against his better judgement, he took a couple of shots of tequila before heading back to the group, hoping to calm his nerves. 

He handed Maisie her drink “thanks Gio” she said. He joined the circle next to Ranvir, placing his hand on the small of her back briefly when he lent forward to pass Maisie her drink. Unbeknownst to the other, both felt butterflies at this closeness. Why though? They were friends. In fact they’d had a silent agreement that nothing could happen between them - not that they’d actually discussed it. Ranvir’s priority was always her son, she had no room for anyone else in her life, and was perfectly happy that way. No matter how many people praised her chemistry with Giovanni she took no notice, because as much as they cared for each other they were also so different it would never work. Although right now, all that kept playing over in her mind was said comments on chemistry, and her mind started to wonder if there was something to it. Giovanni knew nothing could happen between them during the show. He was her teacher - it would be inappropriate and disrupt the power balance. Because of this he’d never allowed himself to even entertain the idea. All the praise on their connection surely just proved he was doing a good job and selling performances. But now the show was over, and he couldn’t shake certain emerging feelings.

The pair found themselves dancing in sync multiple times. Shimmying at eachother for example, smiling and laughing as they did so, often mirroring eachother’s dance moves. Every now and then their arms would brush against each other as they danced, and it felt electric. Nothing like how they’d danced for the last 2 months. Only one explanation: the alcohol. Of course, such an explanation also pushed any better judgement they had before out the window.   
  
  
Woops and cheers could be heard in the middle of the room, and the whole group turned to see what the fuss was about, to find Jamie showing off his one cha cha step, surrounded by a crowd. The whole group walked over to cheer him on, the whole group apart from Ranvir and Giovanni of course. It was like some force out of their control stopped them from walking.   
They’d both finished their drinks by now and abandoned their cups, so while everyone else was seemingly distracted, Giovanni took the opportunity to dance with his partner. Not properly of course, because neither of them could concentrate entirely right now. Instead he took each of her hands in his , so they were facing eachother, and swung and waved their arms back and forth, and spun her a few times. One spin too many, however, and she lost her balance slightly, luckily being caught by Giovanni.

”Are you alright?” He asked, one hand splayed over her hip to balance her, and crouching slightly to make eye contact. And when he did so, for a brief moment it felt like the world had stopped.

’S _nap out of it_ ’ she thought to herself, refusing to listen to her rum controlled brain. 

She just nodded and giggled slightly in response. As she snapped out of her world stopping moment she realised the song had changed, and now Bill was in the middle of the dance circle. Noting everyone’s attention was still firmly away from them, Giovanni took the opportunity to pull Ranvir closer, wrapping one arm tightly round her back, allowing her head to rest on his chest. He smiled at how much this feeling pleased him, although Stormzy was a weird choice for a slow dance.   
After a minute Ranvir lifted her head to look at him. She said nothing but smiled shyly, moving her arm to round his neck, her fingers finding their way into his hair, seemingly of their own accord. He smirked in response.

”What?” He asked with a chuckle.

”What?” She repeatedly coyly. And then they returned to silent dancing again for a few seconds until she added, “I’m really gonna miss this you know.”   
“Me too.” He said, using one hand to push her hair behind her ear.

’ _what are you doing?_ ’ A voice in the back of his head asked, but he didn’t listen, instead he pulled her in closer and whispered in her ear “you look really sexy tonight”

’ _really what the hell are you doing_ ’ the voice in his head echoed again. ‘ _Oh it was that goddamn tequila wasn’t it_ ’

Not knowing how to respond, Ranvir leant her head against his shoulder and let out a giggle, extremely flattered, and taken aback, by his statement.

”Oh Giovanni” he she chuckled as she stood up right again. “What am I gonna do with you?” She shook her head in a flirty manner and bit her lip.

’ _he’s your friend Ranvir, stop it_ ’ she thought, but her rationality wasn’t in control any more.

”not here” he whispered to her, sending another shiver down her spine. Before she could ask what that meant he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the room to the exit to the smoking area, slipping past everyone without being noticed.

As they got outside they were met with bracing cold December air. Luckily they’d been drinking so the alcohol in their systems kept them warm.

”What’s the plan Pernice?” Ranvir asked. 

‘ _Was she intentionally being so flirtly?_ ’ He wondered, although even she didn’t know the answer.

She reached up to push his floppy hair out his face. Every moment of closeness made his heart skip a beat, their chemistry was palpable. They were alone, facing eachother, and super close. It was now or never he thought.

And with that thought ringing in his ears he started to slowly lean in. She caught on immediately, and with all logic thrown out the window, thank you rum, she reciprocated.

Within a matter of seconds their lips crashed together in a passionate, somewhat sloppy, kiss. Not at all soft and romantic like in the movies, but intense and entirely alcohol fueled. His hands gripped her hips, while her hands hung round his neck. 

He felt like he was seeing fireworks, it was magical. He couldn’t figure out if he’d wanted this for weeks or it was all from tonight, but wow was it amazing.

Tongues battled and lips were bitten as they continued, until they finally broke apart.

”Oops” she whispered, giggling slightly and biting her lip, not making eye contact.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well since chapter 2 was requested ;)

Ranvir awoke with a splitting headache. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkened room and for her to get her barings. Momentarily she was confused as to where she was, the surroundings unfamiliar, until she remembered she’d got a hotel room for the night so she didn’t have to travel back home late after the wrap party, which her sore head was telling her involved a lot of drinks, so she felt it was a wise decision to not travel home. That was until she went to move to turn a light on and felt an arm across her waist. 

_ Shit shit shit. What have I done?  _

She stretched out her arm, carefully as to not disturb the guest spooning her, to turn the lamp on, the bright light hurting her eyes due to the hangover induced headache. She was met with the sorry sight of no water on the bed side table, meaning she was going to have to get out of bed.

However this was no longer at the forefront of her mind when she noticed her clothes, and someone else’s, flung throughout the room.

_ Oh Ranvir what did you do? _

Nervously she turned her head to check who was beside her. Immediately she hid her face in her pillow when she realised. 

_Giovanni. Really? You’re friends. Well you were friends... friends don’t end up in bed together. NAKED in bed together._

She was now acutely aware of his arm laying on her bare skin. 

_ How had this happened? And of all people, when the whole country already thought we were shagging. _

It was time to try and piece together what had happened last night - not that she remembered much. She carefully turned to lie on her back to think, he was deep in sleep still, his arm not moving from laying across her.  
  


They were dancing together, she definitely remembered that - how his closeness gave her butterflies, had he been overly tactile and purposefully more flirty? 

What happened next? He’d called her sexy. That sent all manner of thoughts running through her mind, many of them filthy and completely inappropriate to think of a friend. 

_Although in hindsight, baring in mind how we’ve ended up, he must’ve been thinking the same things_.

What next? He’d led her outside, his hand squeezing her much smaller one as he guided her behind the preoccupied crowd of their friends. And once they were outside...

They’d kissed. A big kiss. Full on snog . Sloppy. Passionate. Intense.   
  
_Kinda mind blowing_.

After that her memory started getting really spotty.

_ Think Ranvir. How did you get back to the hotel? _

Ok she remembered sitting on a bench, he was kissing her neck, and hands were roaming all manner of places.

“We can’t do this here” she’d whispered seductively.  That’s when she invited him back to her hotel room. 

The next thing she remembered was stumbling out of a taxi into the hotel, Giovanni’s hand solidly resting on her lower back. Very low mind.

Then they’d got into the lift, alone.  


_ It was 3 am. Nothing good happens at 3 am. _

As soon as the doors were closed-

_ Or were they even fully closed yet? _

He slammed her against the wall of the lift and gone back to trailing kisses down her neck. Hot, wet kisses. Then stopping to nibble and leave love bites.

_Oh yeah_ , she thought feeling her neck now, _lots of love bites._

Until she grabbed his face and brought it to her so their lips met again. 

_So much tongue_.

She remembered struggling to open the hotel room door - a mix of rum and a hot Italian desperate to get her in bed did not make for good concentration or coordination. He’d been pressed close against her, whispering unmentionable things in her ear.

Once in her room he lifted her, her legs wrapped tightly round his waist as they kissed again, before he threw her on the bed.

And now they were here. In bed, together, with no clothes on. She couldn’t remember what they’d done but she could make an educated guess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 incoming soon
> 
> Next chapter of Long Story Short should be up v soon - promised myself I couldn’t write it until I’d finished the methods and results of my psychology paper, and I’m v almost done.
> 
> Also this is OBVIOUSLY fiction, we know that - I mean for one Covid doesn’t exist in this world so clearly it’s just my fantasies.


	3. Chapter 3

The headache was in desperate need of attention now due the dangerous cocktail of rum and bad decisions. Ever so carefully, Ranvir lifted Giovanni’s arm off her so she could get out of bed, quickly grabbing the robe she’d thankfully left out from getting ready, as she did so. 

Her head whipped round when she heard him stir slightly, though he was still sleeping.

_Thank fuck. I’m not ready to face this conversation._

She downed a glass of water and took some paracetamol, thank god she always had some in her bag. Taking pity on him, worried he’d feel as rough as she did, she got him a glass too and walked quietly over to place it on the table on his side of the bed.

_He looks so cute sleeping. No! Stop you can’t think like that._

She couldn’t bring herself to get back into said bed so sat on the chair on the side of the room, and opened her phone for the first time that day.

_ Right what’s going on. It’s 10am, when was the last time I slept in so late? _

_ 43 mixed texts Jesus Christ  _

_ Clara: babe where did you go? _

_Maisie: did you leave early_? xx

_ Caroline: don’t tell me u left without dancing with me _

_ Clara: wait Gio’s gone too... you’re naughty you ;) _

She couldn’t face reading any more , momentarily placing the phone face down, as if that would stop any of this being real. Sipping on her water she massaged her temples.

As she started checking through instagram stories Giovanni started to wake. She heard him groan across the room as he stretched and wiped his eyes. 

“Where am I- Ranvi?” He sat upright as he spotted her, his mouth falling open.

“Hi?” She answered hesitantly, feeling so embarrassed by the situation, and extremely vulnerable in just a dressing gown.

_How long til he regrets this?_

“What happened last night? What are we doing here?”

“Well this is my hotel room...” she gestured around, his eye following, quickly spotting the clothes thrown around the room. “I’m not too sure what we did, but I think I can guess,” she said, hiding her head in her hands.

“What do you m-“ and then he started remembering.

** The dancing - swaying together, laughing, holding hands. **

** The kiss outside - time stopped when their lips met. It had flooded him with feelings.  **

** The taxi ride that involved a LOT of wandering hands. **

** The lift. Oh those 3 minutes in that lift. Pinning her hands above her head. Smothering her with kisses. **

** And then... **

“We?” 

“I think so” she nodded, cutting him off before he could say.

“Shit no way” suddenly he became very aware of being naked under the duvet.

They sat silently for a while, not making eye contact, trying to figure out what to say. 

“How are you feeling?” Ranvir asked eventually, “I have a horrid headache, clearly drank a lot last night.” She tried to joke.

“Yeah, not too bad, I just...” he was trying to gather his thoughts, unsure on what he was actually feeling. “Come sit here.” He said tapping the space on the bed beside him where she’d spent the night.

But she hesitated.

“Come on Ranvi, we should talk about this, besides we been close together for the last 2 months, don’t ignore me now” he smiled, showing her he wasn’t mad.

She got up with a chuckle, rolling her eyes. As she sat down on the bed she made the conscious decision to sit above the covers rather than under them, with him. And she tightened the belt of her robe, self-conscious at wearing so little.

_ Don’t be silly. I’m sure he saw everything last night. Remember how you woke up. _

“That’s better” he smiled at her, and she smiled back, before taking a deep breath, and both of them staring forward.

“Last night, whatever happened, was one big mistake, right?” She laughed lightly, fiddling with her hair as she spoke.

“I don’t know,” he was fidgeting with his hands, nervous for what he was about to say, “was it?”

They quickly looked up at each other simultaneously, eyes turning soft as they met.

“Do you...you mean you don’t regret it?” She asked.

“No” he shook his head back.

“No?” 

_Did I hear that right??_

“No” he said again, reaching one hand to hold hers, intertwining their fingers and rubbing the back of it with his thumb as he smiled at her softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if that’s the end or not tbh

**Author's Note:**

> There may be nothing romantic irl but that doesn’t mean I don’t love their chemistry
> 
> Also I’m taking that article as face value. Ok they’re not a couple, but their strictly journey was still super special and holds a special place in my heart. ❤️
> 
> But I’ve shocked myself at how much I’ve enjoyed writing so will keep going for a little longer. It’s a good respite from uni work.


End file.
